


The Detective's Journey

by TheFatHeir11037



Category: Persona 3, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26265133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFatHeir11037/pseuds/TheFatHeir11037
Summary: After a horrifying murder case at a certain amusement park, High School Detective Prince Shinichi Kudo met his tragic end. However, all is not lost; the deity of human consciousness bestowed the sleuth a second chance at retelling his story at the expense of saving a starkly different reality. In this world where monsters called Shadows and Personas are prevalent, and a mysterious 25th hour exist, will the detective manage to regain his lost life and find comfort and solace with his newfound companions? Will he be able to challenge the strong grip that destiny and fate has for him? Will his heart learn to let go and move on, and will he be able to find his Answer to this supernatural Journey?
Relationships: Haibara Ai | Miyano Shiho & Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan, Iori Junpei/Yoshino Chidori, Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan & Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	1. PROLOGUE - And So It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This fanfiction, I guess you could say is... a first in many things. It is my first attempt on making an actual crossover fanfic, and also my very first Persona fanfic. Lastly, this is (hopefully) going to be my first attempt in writing a long-term story. The thought of a crossover between Detective Conan and Persona 3 crossed my mind when I find myself liking Naoto Shirogane and Goro Akechi's character. And my brain wondered what would happen if a wild card AND a protagonist at the same time, happens to be a Detective Prince archetype? One who's dedicated to actually being an upstanding citizen and doesn't have ulterior and evil motives underneath the friendly face *wink wink nudge nudge*.
> 
> There would be romance, don't worry! I already have a true pairing in mind so, I apologize if it isn't to your liking. However, I will allow myself some slack and write some harem tropes if the opportunity presented itself.
> 
> Also! BIG CHANGES here! Not just in Persona 3, but also in 4, (you'll understand why). Characters will be written a bit differently AS WELL as who, and what Social Links will be present. Some of you might be pissed or surprised, please, be my guest before you criticize.
> 
> Lastly, a disclaimer. About this fanfic and my YTTD fanfic as well, Your Turn to Live, which is currently in an indefinite period of hiatus (it's not yet cancelled, rest assured). Please understand that real life is being an ass for me and my family. So updates are probably going to be slower than a turtle with two invalid legs. That being said, this fanfic is something that I intend to complete, the when might not be clear, but I assure you I will get back to it (and the YTTD fanfic too, don't worry).
> 
> So... I think that's all! Please relax and enjoy.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona Series and Detective Conan/Case Closed don't belong to me. They are owned by Atlus and Gosho Aoyama, respectively.

\-------------------------------

April 4, 2011, Tropical Land, 9:37 PM

Pain. Throbbing. Agony.

His vision swirled, his sight blurring, the looming shadows of the two men who force-fed him the drug is long gone, he's now thrown into an excruciating deal of pain. Every inch of his body felt that they are being torn apart and at the same time compacted together. The open wound in his head is the least of his worries now. Not minding the crimson liquid dripping down his face, the young man's mind is filled with only one hopeless thought:

'God... I'm going to die, aren't I?'

At the far-end of the livelier than ever amusement park, unseen from prying eyes, the high school student tossed and turned in helpless agony, his right hand moved to squeeze the grass in front of him. Perhaps a last ditch effort to dull the pain, to stand up, to regain composure, to muster his strength and scream for help, or simply to get revenge and dark comfort that at least, he's going to take down a living being before he perishes, regardless if they were just piece of grass. He could only manage a weak sob to prevent himself from crying at his current predicament. His mind wanders to the event leading to his dying moments now.

"I swear, Shinichi, sometimes your penchant for playing hero is going to cost you a lot." His childhood friend and current classmate, Ran Mouri, chided him, but Shinichi knew that beneath the anger, he's bringing his friend closer and closer to the perils of crime by making her tag along during his grand deductions.

Shinichi thought that his friend is right. And if he were being completely honest, he sometimes worry about his own well-being. Being a prodigious high school detective prince archetype may sound appealing to some, but in reality, the awaiting dangers and daily death threats that he receives say so otherwise. To be frank, every time he's alone at the middle of the night (which is quite a lot), and he suddenly hears a thumping noise of some sort, he would immediately freeze in place, all the while tucking behind his blankets, only to find out that his friendly neighborhood scientist is geeking out on another novel invention of his. He always makes sure to give him a good "talk" the following morning.

But of course, the temporary phobia is only, well, temporary, and as time passed, the detective became more and more accustomed to the threats, thumps, and occasional perils that endangered his life and compromised his position. He had learned how to adeptly handle life-or-death situations. But there's one thing that he'll never get used to; the danger he's imposing upon his dearest childhood friend.

The fear was natural of course, he had surmised it as a natural instinct of a normal guy trying to protect and ensure the safety of a childhood friend. But as days go by, he thought that his initial hypothesis is wrong.

Well, not wrong, but maybe, lacking. Severely.

The detective knew that what he felt for his childhood friend is no mere "friendliness". He knows that he loves the girl with all his heart, and he always tried to push that realization away. Calling himself stupid, unworthy or immature. But instead of the emotion dwindling, his love for his dear friend only intensified by each passing day, and he feared it.

He fears that one day, he would slip up, make a mistake of some sort, or mess with the wrong people, and they end up retaliating with extreme force.

Force that he feared will take away everything he loved and cared for.

Force that will take her away from him.

Force that will kill her.

'Thank God I didn't fuck up.'

He knows it's not true though. He certainly messed up right now, as was evident by the sight of him unceremoniously sprawled on the ground behind the dark alleys of Tropical Land, his head dripping with his own blood. But still he didn't care. He knows that, at the very least, he managed to save her. He managed to steer her clear from certain doom, and even if it cost him his life in the end, he found himself being filled with relief and gratification, and a soft smile soon appeared on the Detective Prince's face.

All too soon, the pain slowly but surely, dissipated, and along with it the young man's vigor and strength. He can barely keep his eyes open, his grip on the now-dead-grass is loosening, and his consciousness fading. It was then that the smile turned to a sharp frown, and his tears started falling. He inwardly cursed himself, cursed himself for being a nosy brat that just can't stay his foot on one place. Now he'll never see the light of day again, and no longer see his family and friend's smiles once more.

With one last effort to lift his head off the ground, he saw a large, blue butterfly land on his right hand. As if some kind of poor effort to placate him and tell him that he will still somehow survive this torture. Bitter laughter erupted from the boy's mouth.

"I'm...sorry...Ran."

As the words left the detective's bloodied mouth, so too does his consciousness.

\-------------------------------

???, ???, Time Unknown

He felt calm.

He felt at peace.

He felt euphoria.

Then he realized something.

"So I guess I'm dead now?"

It felt awkward at first when the words left his ephemeral mouth, but his attention soon gravitated toward his surroundings. It felt as if he's in the center of space, and he daresay, the Universe. It was nothing like his initial thought of what the afterlife would look like. But still, he realized, it was not that bad, and it was not in his position to complain either.

After all, he most certainly preferred this "afterlife" than fiery seas of blazing crimson damping his crucified, tortured body, or have his insides perpetually devoured by three-headed canine demons.

He involuntarily shivered at the thought.

Shaking his head, Shinichi began to walk in the nothingness of the Sea. He walked.. and walked.. and walked some more. But alas, the scenery didn't seem to change at all. In fact, he felt like a hamster that's forced to do treadmills on wheels, albeit said hamster is already an immortal soul that can feel no exhaustion.

The thought made Shinichi realize something, as he looked at his left hand, and then toward his ethereal body, he realized that he's still fully clothed, and not the ancient Adam style of clothing either, it was his green jacket that he wore during the Tropical Land trip with his dear Ran. The jacket that soon bathed in and soaked in his own blood and cranial fluids. The realization that it's not stained with blood and instead in pristine condition put a smile on the detective's face. It seems the Powers that be has a heart for crusaders of justice like him, or so he thinks.

With that thought in mind, Shinichi pressed onward, somehow filled with unreasonable eagerness to reach the end of this vast nothingness. After all, logic dictates that everything MUST have an end, right? But then again, this is the afterlife, perhaps logic and reason are things for mortals alone, and for souls like him, beginnings and ends are but two sides of the same coin.

In short, meaningless.

Shinichi continued on with his "otherworldly" ramblings and soliloquy before he abruptly stopped. He stopped because of two things:

Firstly, he noticed that his surroundings have immediately turned a sharp color of ebony. Or, it would be more accurate to say that he ventured on the darker part of the Sea. The specks of light which he mentally called, stars, are now left behind, and he's stuck right in between the lights of the stars and the darkness of the Sea.

Which brings us to the second unusual thing. After several attempts of going to the dark abyss, Shinichi is being forced back by an invisible barrier of sorts, preventing him further access than but a simple longing glance into the darkness.

Shinichi, being a logical, no-nonsense man, concluded that the dark abyss of the Seas are reserved for bad people. Murderers, arsonists, plunderers, rapists and all sorts of heinous mortals.

His sight blurred and he vividly imagined the face of the two men in black that killed him. And the gears on his brilliant mind churned and turned when thinking of the day that those bastards got what's coming to them. He shook with mirth. At least time is of no essence here, who knows, maybe the short time he spent walking the Seas is equivalent to all the lifespan of the mortals on Earth?

The thought involuntarily made him think of his friends and family that he left behind. His father, Yusaku, must've kept his poker face just fine, but his heart ached when he thought of his mother, Yukiko. Her mom would most certainly have a breakdown and would be depressed, and Shinichi genuinely feared that his mother might follow her here so quickly, intentionally or not. She deserved to be happy and much more. Even without her spoiled, hardhead of a son.

And then, there's Ran. The girl who oh so easily stole his heart. Shinichi had to give her props for that. He doubts even Kaito Kid would've stolen something so easily and deliberately.

...

Not that he EVER thought of THAT Phantom Thief stealing his heart! No!

But in all seriousness, if this is just the first day of his afterlife, so to speak, and he's already this worried for his loved ones, he dread to think the oncoming days of his solitude on the Sea.

He can't even fathom to imagine being separated from your loved ones so early on in life. Granted, he did not regret his strong sense of justice and detective life up until the moment of his perishing, but still...

It hurts. It hurts to leave, and be left alone.

"Feeling down?"

Shinichi repressed a scream of fright from when he heard the voice and he quickly turned around to see who spoke. So fast he turned that he might've snapped his neck from such act if he were still alive.

"Who.."

The detective's words died on his mouth when he saw the figure in front of him. Said figure wears a pristine white suit, and dons a rather long hair tied with a ponytail. But what the sleuth noticed the most was his face, or lack thereof, since a mask with an engraving of a butterfly's wing is covering it.

"Greetings, young detective. I am Philemon."

The man called Philemon nodded curtly towards him in polite gesture. But Shinichi is no fool, he knows this... being, holds great amount of power and authority, so he kept his guard up and went straight to the point, albeit with extreme caution.

"The name is Shinichi Kudo, but I suppose you know that already, sir Philemon?"

"Yes, Shinichi. I am aware of your circumstances, both past and present." The masked man replied with indifference, although with the mask, Shinichi can't figure out if he's angry or chiding or just truly indifferent.

"What business do you have with a dead man, Philemon?" Shinichi jumped the gun, surely, now that he's dead, he can endure any beating, so he has nothing to worry about, or so he thought.

"As I've said, Shinichi. I know of your past and present, but your future is yet to be determined." Philemon replied, putting his right hand on his chin. At this, Shinichi's eyes widened, and countless questions filled his head, but none wants to reach Philemon for some reason.

"I suppose I should tell you a little about me and this place. This place, is the Sea of Souls, a place that gives birth to the souls of the World, and is also the final resting place of said souls." Philemon gestured with his left hand and waved it, and to Shinichi's surprise, the Sea exploded into different colors, and ethereal figures of what he thinks of as his fellow souls are now visible to him. A man with a long hair wearing a turtleneck, a tall guy wearing a beanie and an overcoat, and a lanky white-haired boy wearing a striped shirt. But before the teen could get a good look on their faces, Philemon waved his hand once more and the Sea of Souls regressed to its prior dull form.

"...And as for myself, I am a deity who rules over humanity's consciousness and goodwill." The masked man finished his spiel, and offered a light nod toward Shinichi, who just looked at him, dumbfounded.

"...I understand. But, lord Philemon, that doesn't answer my question." Shinichi mumbled weakly, if the deity in front of him is an unforgiving one, he dare not pile any more excess to his past transgressions to Philemon.

"Come now, at ease, Shinichi. And you are right. I am yet to discuss my business with you."

The moment the words left Philemon's mouth, or thoughts, (Shinichi will never know), a loud piercing roar shook the Sea to its core, causing Shinichi to fall to his knees, suddenly filled with sheer terror and fear coursing through his soul. The detective clutched his heart wide-eyed, he was not aware that dead souls could feel loss of breath after all.

"Oh dear, it seems the neighborhood canine dislikes pleasantries and niceties. I am truly sorry that our meeting could last no longer than mere minutes, but it seems the explanations can be done by someone else in my stead." Philemon shook his head wryly, and Shinichi can't help but wonder just how strong the God is to be seemingly unaffected by the deathly roar he just heard.

Still clutching his heart, Shinichi felt the world slowly go black once more. He had no idea spirits are prone to unconsciousness as well.

Philemon inched toward the teen's sleeping figure and waved his hand, causing the boy to disintegrate little by little until he disappears completely. He sighed and looked onward, where two towering figures can be seen from afar, first, a gargantuan two-headed monster whose hue is as dark as a lightless night, and the other is an equally gargantuan door, the vibrant color of gold is in stark contrast to that of the beast's ebony. Philemon shook his head and spoke to himself.

"Igor, I leave the detective in your care."

And on he went, to vanquish humanity's grief incarnate.

\-------------------------------

???, ???, Time Unknown

"My, my... Quite an interesting guest we have here."

The old man in black mused to himself with a voice that may seem relieving, mocking, and mystifying all the same. The teen in front of him however, is unconscious and currently sleeping while sitting, giving the impression that he's been through a long journey and he had just received his well-earned time-off. The old man shook his head with genial mirth.

"I'm afraid your journey has just begun, young man."

The old man stared at his "guest", and gave a light chuckle at the gravity of the situation in front of him but soon shook his head once more in apprehension. He was meant to be his guest's guide after all, not a critic, let alone not one who treats him like a laughingstock. He can tell that this youth has a lot of potential, possibly even more than the others, and the thought that this lad may somehow exceed his former guest's wondrous feats excites him. He truly loved his job, while some may think of it as a boring occupation, he knows better. And perhaps this young lad right in front of him will prove just as interesting as the others and will bring some sparks that contrasts the serene blue of the room, if not more so.

The old man then turned his gaze to the deck of cards in front of him, at the wave of his hands, the deck magically arranged themselves, and three cards separated themselves from the others, putting themselves side by side at the center of the blue table. The old man's Cheshire grin became wider as he flipped open the first card.

It reads, "The Fool."

"Yes. Very interesting indeed."

\-------------------------------

???, Sea of Souls, Time Unknown

A lone figure slowly climbed the stairs that leads over the golden door. Confusion and interest etched in her face as she looked around and found out that what she came here for is already taken care of. Finally, her steps brought her to the grand door, and there she stopped. Stopped to admire the immortalized figure crucified on the door, and to behold him. 

"Do not worry, my love. I shall free you from this burden, that, I swear upon you and myself."

The woman cupped the right cheek and planted a kiss on the lips of the figure by the door, and, without a word, turned back to return from whence she came from.


	2. CHAPTER 1 - The Velvet Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I'm back, surprisingly! The next chapter features the end of our dear detective's past life, but also the beginning of his new one! I hope you all enjoy this one!

???, ???, Time Unknown

 _Music._ Loud, but comforting music, he thought to himself.

The detective slowly stirred from his slumber, and opened his eyes.

Right away, his keen eyes noticed three things:

 _One_ , that the place he's in right now is full of _blue, blue, and more blue._ Everywhere he looked, the tiles, the carpet, the table, the doors at the far end of the room, and even the couch in front of him is blue.

 _Second_ , that the blue room is actually a blue version of his mansion's grand library, the detective further noticed that the arrangements of the shelves and placement of furniture are exactly the same, sans the blue decor.

And _third_ , the old man in front of him has a _really, really long nose._ And scary, bulging eyes to boot.

Shinichi wondered if all the things that he encountered so far are just bad, hilarious dreams, or that he's going insane due to the numerous heinous cases that arranged themselves on his desk.

Or maybe this is his illusory world after the poison he ingested threw him into a coma.

That's a nice thought, isn't it?

"Ahem."

The man with the long nose cleared his throat, and Shinichi broke free from his mindless stupor and directed his attention toward the old man.

 _"I see that you're back among the living, dear guest. Welcome to the **Velvet Room** , young man."_ The man spoke, but it bugged Shinichi greatly that he did so without breaking his Cheshire grin, reminiscent to that of a ventriloquist.

Only after having that silent fright did Shinichi fully realize what the man had said, and he let out a totally understandable, definitely reasonable, _"What the hell are you talking about?"_

The man in front of him shook his head dismissively and began to speak once more, _"Perhaps some explaining and introductions are in order, dear guest. This is the Velvet Room, a place that exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. And as you are now aware, **life and death**."_ The man lifted his left hand above the table and a deck of cards began to materialize below his palm.

 _"...As for myself, you may call me Igor. I am the Master of the Velvet Room, under the employ of Lord Philemon."_ Igor finished his introduction with a wave of his hand, afterwards, three random cards freed themselves from the deck and placed themselves at the center of Igor's desk, face-down in front of Shinichi.

He's familiar with the act, of course. _Tarot reading_ is quite a popular way of fortune telling, not just in Japan, but all-throughout the world. However, since it is seldom that he finds the need to resort to fortune telling (except for the times where it plays a role in verifying alibis and whatnot), Shinichi is no wiser than the guy next door about how it works. Seeing his curious expression, Igor began to speak once more.

 _"Worry not, dear guest, I assure you, my tarot reading is quite genuine."_ As if sensing the detective's skepticism, Igor replied in a genial manner, and with a flick, the left-most card on Shinichi's side, flipped open to reveal its **Arcana**.

 _"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed."_ The master of the room continued, and the sleuth's attention is turned to the upright card in front of him; **"the Fool,"** it reads, along with it is the number _'0'_. Shinichi raised an eyebrow to the man in front of him, urging him to explain what the card means.

_"This, young man, is the first Tarot card, the Fool. It signifies the beginning of a journey. **Your Journey.** " _Igor spoke. The confused detective took this as an opportunity to delve into the heart of the matter, and the best way to do that...__

____

_"What Journey? Why am I here? Who are you? Am I not dead?"_ Shinichi couldn't help sounding dumb and helpless. Throughout his existence, most of the time, he always had the answers for other people's questions, and although rarely, he can always count on his logical mind to come across the seemingly impossible truth. That was how it always was, but now, he can't make head nor tails about all these... bizarre surreality he's being exposed to.

____

Sensing his troubles and worry is reaching critical levels, Igor took on a more relative approach, _"You have met with my master, Philemon, have you not?"_ Shinichi took a second to recall who Philemon is, and nodded in response. _"Then I trust that he told you about how your future is still blank, and you still hold the pen to write it so."_ Igor paused his explanation to flip the middle card, Shinichi recognized it quite easily; **the Death card** in the upright position, along with it is the number 13.

____

_"That card, what does it mean?"_ The detective asked in an impassive tone as he can muster, to anyone else, the mask is imperceptible. But Igor knew that his guest is in the precipice and is in danger of succumbing before even starting his ventures. He cleared his throat and gave a light chuckle, then continued.

____

_"There is no need to fear, young man. The Death card signifies a great change that is bound to happen in your life. Or in this case, your coming Journey. Think of it as a motivation instead of an obstacle."_ The proprietor paused momentarily, as if contemplating whether he continue or not. In the end, he spoke again, _"However, only you will be responsible for the change you incur, regardless of what end they may bring forth."_ And with the swipe of his hand, the three cards atop the table returned themselves on the deck, this act made Shinichi raise his brow in confusion.

____

_"You're not going to show me what the last card is?"_ The high schooler visibly pouted. Igor let out a laugh paired with an almost scary grin.

____

_"Unfortunately, my dear guest, that privilege is beyond me, I cannot interfere in the machinations that fate have in store for you, nor do I reserve the right to influence your decisions by showing you your future. For after all is said and done..." Igor flicked his fingers once more, and a blue pen and document of some sort materialized in front of the sleuth._

____

_"... You are the only one who can shape your future."_

____

Shinichi felt drawn to the piece of paper, and inched closer to read its contents;

____

_"Time never waits.  
It delivers all equally to the same end.  
You, who have suffered and lost, and thus perished,  
You have one year.  
Save, and thus let go, or hold on, and thus be lost?  
The world is yours to save.  
The future is yours to shape."_

____

_"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."_

_____ _

And there below, was a blank spot for him to sign his name with.

_____ _

Shinichi felt as if his heart had been torn to shreds, stomped on, and then stabbed. And it's still left beating, much to his hurt and agony.

_____ _

He was unable to say anything for a while, rereading the contract repeatedly to spot any discrepancy within.

_____ _

_"Do not worry."_

_____ _

Shinichi stopped his perusing when he heard Igor spoke. _"You are not the only one who is bound to move on. Your family and friends, the people of the world you left behind... when you sign that contract, they in turn, will forget all about you as well, for better or worse. Shinichi Kudo will be dead to the world you hailed from, gone and forgotten."_

_____ _

He continued, _"Knowing this, do you still intend on signing the contract?"_

_____ _

\-------------------------------

_____ _

After that, a long moment of silence permeated the room, the Aria pervading it seems to be drowned out by the inner thoughts running through the teen's mind; about this room, about himself, about the contract in front of him that seems to be whispering in his ears to sign his name on.

_____ _

His first instinct was to shout as loudly as possible, **"NO!"** But for some reason, the sleuth found himself unable to do so. He knew what the contract is asking him to do of course, he is not stupid. He can understand clever terms of transactions due to his line of work, and he knew the repercussions it entails by saying yes, and even still, with all that in mind, he can't fucking say no.

_____ _

_'Why?'_ he thought. He knew something is fishy when Philemon told him that his future is still up for reshaping, he knew there's some kind of catch that will knock the wind out of his dead sails, but still, he hoped. He hoped that maybe, his track record of being an upstanding young man earned him a bona fide resurrection, free of charge, no strings attached. But this... he never thought...

_____ _

_He never thought it would mean forgetting his loved ones._

_____ _

_He never thought it would mean erasing his memories of his parents..._

_____ _

_He never thought it would mean letting go of his love for Ran..._

_____ _

He felt like crying again.

_____ _

Crying because of the unfairness of it all.

_____ _

Crying because those fucking men that killed him are probably having the time of their lives, sending a lot more people than he could think of, whether innocent or guilty, to their deaths, and here he is, faced with an ultimatum he does not deserve.

_____ _

But most especially, he felt like crying because, he knew what it is that he needs to do.

_____ _

_He needs to move on, and thus let go._

_____ _

_He needs to save what it is he can save..._

_____ _

_...Even at the expense of throwing away his identity, and giving up his life._

_____ _

At the very least, he thought, his friends and family will fare much better without his death as an emotional and mental blunder to their lives.

_____ _

With reluctant determination, the Detective Prince slowly lifted the blue pen, and wrote his name at the blank spot, as legibly and neatly as he can, all the while holding back the tears that are threatening to spill.

_____ _

**"Shinichi Kudo"**

_____ _

The now-wild card turned to meet the gaze of the Master of the Velvet Room, and spoke, _"You're wrong, Igor. Shinichi Kudo is not gone."_ Then, in newfound vigor, Shinichi stood up from his seat and boldly declared pointing his index finger to the master's protruding nose,

_____ _

_"I am going to fulfill this contract, without fail... So long as I am the high school detective, Shinichi Kudo. That is the absolute truth!"_

_____ _

Instead of being offended from the sudden outburst, Igor took the detective's bravado with a smile and nodded at him, _"I have had known that you will, my dear guest, from the very moment your destiny had brought you here."_

_____ _

Suddenly, Shinichi felt his eyelids growing heavier by the seconds, his vigor being eaten away by the sudden sleepiness, until eventually, he felt his body collapse and saw the Velvet Room and Igor all fade into nothing but darkness.

_____ _

Through his last moments within the confines of the realm, he thought he saw a figure emerge from the door at the end of the room. And from his standpoint, he noticed that the figure appeared very shocked.

_____ _

...Of that, however, he'll never be sure, as the last of his strength left him.

_____ _

Igor, seemingly unbothered by the presence now taking the empty space beside him, took the first card within the deck, the one the detective haven't had the chance to gaze at.

_____ _

His smile grew ever-so-wide, with the blinding light of the card amplifying it so.

_____ _

_"...Some things just never change, do they?"_

_____ _

The presence at his side didn't bother to answer.

_____ _

\-------------------------------

_____ _

???, ???, Time Unknown

_____ _

_____ _

_"...Wounded, but he'll recover..."_

_____ _

_"...needs lots of rest..."_

_____ _

_"...I see..."_

_____ _

_"...I'll be at the..."_

_____ _

..He felt heavy, literally and figuratively. Inside and out. It felt as if he's been bruised and battered, and then put into a very comfortable bed afterwards. For heaven's sake, he can't even move his arms!

_____ _

After a short while, he gave up moving his arms and felt satisfied when he felt his index and pinky fingers twitch a bit. At least he's not in danger of total body paralysis. He inwardly laughed, seeing as how he can't move a muscle, he doubts his vocal chord and cheekbones would cooperate with him any better.

_____ _

Wait, there's one more thing he didn't try! _Gods, he's such an idiot. That's why it's still so dark!_

_____ _

He tried opening his eyes.

_____ _

He half-expected they wouldn't cooperate as well, but he was surprised to find out it's the opposite.

_____ _

In fact, his sudden sight surprised him so much that the light on top of his bed took it as an opportunity to blind him.

_____ _

_"..Ggh.."_

_____ _

During the moment he groaned and forced his eyes to shut once more and recuperate, he heard a sudden shuffling near his right side. The steps moved closer and stopped, as if the source of the scuffling sound is waiting for him to show any signs that he's awake. Filled with an uncharacteristic amount of dread, he pretended to be asleep, while inwardly listening to the (man?) to make another sound.

_____ _

_"Excuse me, young man. Are you awake?"_

_____ _

He visibly tensed upon hearing it, and he cursed himself for giving himself away to the enemy so quickly. Upon realizing that it's better to come out clean than pretend aimlessly, he tried to open his eyes again, this time, slowly and carefully.

_____ _

Luckily for him, the light is now **NOT** doing its darnedest to blind him, and instead, just gave a shine to the room he's in, like any normal light should. He took the opportunity to scan the room he's in. His eyes turned right and he saw the man making all the weird shuffling noise.

_____ _

Upon closer inspection, the man seemed to be middle-aged, has a very long hair, and is wearing a beige suit paired with a black turtleneck shirt. He's also wearing eyeglasses. From this, he deduced that the man is probably on his way to his job, most probably a shareholder or a board member of some sort, and he also concluded that the man is feeling really nervous right now, as was evident from the beads of sweat on his forehead.

_____ _

_"Oh, thank goodness, you're okay! I thought that I'd ended the life of an upstanding young man! I am really, truly sorry!"_ The man gave off a sigh of relief, and he observed that the man is also fumbling something in his pockets.

_____ _

_"Here's my calling card. Don't worry. I'll pay for your expenses, I promise. But right now, I really need to..."_

_____ _

As the man put the calling card on his hands, it expectedly slipped away. Of course it would, he can barely make a sound from his dried mouth, holding a calling card is out of the question.

_____ _

The man, _(thankfully)_ quickly realized what's going on, and picked up the calling card from the floor and deeply sighed. After doing so, he resigned himself on the chair on the right side of the bed.

_____ _

_"I understand, you're still very weak. We are both lucky that we're still alive, I tell you. My car went kaput like a bottle of cola after the impact."_ The man shook his head and scratched its backside, the teen lying on the bed eyeing him suspiciously.

_____ _

_"Well... I suppose at times like these, introductions are in order. Although I would have preferred if we met under... **livelier circumstances.** Well, beggars can't be choosers, am I right?"_ The man chuckled weakly and straightened his sitting posture. Looking back at the teen on the hospital bed, he spoke, with a hand on his chest.

_____ _

_"My name is Shuji Ikutsuki, Board Chairman of Gekkoukan Academy. It's a pleasure to meet you, **Detective Prince.** "_

_____ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andddddd scene, cut! That's Chapter 1 (or 2, dunno) done! I hope y'all had fun reading it as much as I've had writing it! As I've said before though, updates are pretty slow... so, apologies in advance, folks!
> 
> Anyway, that's all for me! Next time we meet, it will be when the next chapter is up and about.
> 
> Until then, farewell.


	3. CHAPTER 2 - Shuji Ikutsuki

The Detective's Journey [Chapter 2 - Shuji Ikutsuki]

\--------------------------

_**April 1, 2009, Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, 5:46 PM** _

_"Shuji..what?"_

His brain comprehends the entirety of the bespectacled man's name just fine, but for some reason, his tongue refused to cooperate and he just gave up before the man in front of him lose all reason and humanity and end his life right there just because he butchered his name.

Well, at the very least, said man doesn't seem to be the type to lose patience easily, he also looks amiable and easygoing, but he can never be too sure. After all, in his line of work, preconceptions clog proper thinking and analyzing. He needs to remain impartial for the most part to arrive at the most accurate truth.

... _Wait, what line of work? What work did he have exactly?_ For some reason he can't remember.

... _ **anything.**_

He briefly recalled the man calling him _"Detective Prince"_ , but he can't think of any detail that suggests that he's really a detective, and not to mention, from the way the chairman addressed him, he seems to be a rather renowned sleuth. On the contrary however, he can't even remember where he was and what he did to end up in this hospital. Every time he tried to do so, all he acquired in return is a surging headache and a _blue vision of a room,_ other than that, nothing.

It was then that he was struck by an undesired realization. One he wished was not the truth, but he finds no evidence to counteract it.

_**...Could it be that he lost his memories?** _

Now that he thinks about it, _it makes sense, actually._ A not-so-distant memory of the guy in front of him telling him that he bumped him with his car with such force that it wrecked the vehicle afterwards sprang back to his mind, and his expression immediately darkened to the unintentional perpetrator behind his current predicament.

 _"... Haha, it's Ikutsuki. Hard to say, I know. But pronouncing my name is probably the least of our worries, Mr. Kudo."_ The man gave a hearty chuckle, seemingly oblivious that the shamus in front of him is giving him a deathly stare. Seeing that Shinichi is unable to proceed any further without divulging what needs to be known, he squinted his gaze to the older man and spoke.

 _"Mr. Ikutsuki. I **can't** remember anything."_ He spoke as accusatory as possible, but it somehow ended up in a desperate and scared tonality, one he didn't want to use, especially to the most probable guy who's behind his memory loss.

At his statement, Ikutsuki's eyes widened significantly, and he dared not speak until after several seconds had passed. Shinichi wants to sit up and show a more physical confrontation, but his muscles aren't being very helpful. He can only silently thank whoever granted his mouth the ability to speak fluently even after a car accident. Not to mention the fact that his body is in relatively pristine condition, save for some tightly-wrapped bandages and dextrose attached to him. It's as if he's actually protected by some kind of armor that instead of taking the hit of the car, repelled it back instead.

_"Er...Mr. Kudo, what..."_

_"I can't remember who I am, why I'm here, and where I live! **I can't remember anything** about myself!"_ Shinichi didn't mean to shout and lose composure, but he can't help it. Something speaks within him that if he cannot recover his memories, then he's bound to lose something _really important_ and fond to him. And due to this feeling, he can't help being livid to the chairman.

 _"What?! Then... Er, excuse me.. I'll call the doctor!"_ The man rose from his chair and immediately bolted to the door leading outside. After being left alone with his thoughts, Shinichi took the opportunity and began some compartmentalization and tried his best to keep his emotions at bay. He sighed deeply in an attempt to calm himself.

_'Okay. I'm apparently a high school detective of some sort, and my name is Shinichi Kudo.'_

He rubbed his chin as a form of thinking mannerism, it briefly surprised him that the act felt so natural to him that it came without his conscious effort, just like how a sleuth would. _'Huh, guess I really am a detective after all.'_ After that brief moment of humorous reprieve, he went back to thinking.

_'I'm in a hospital right now because of some four-eyed chairman who decided that it's a good idea to bump his car to my unsuspecting self. The force of the impact apparently totaled his car and knocked me out immediately. I was sent to the hospital afterwards, and after that, the rest is history.'_

Shinichi continued on, _'Most probably, the chairman did not deliberately hit me with the car. Him bringing me to the hospital instead of driving away after the accident talks greatly of his innocence. And besides, if I really am a famous detective, then the media and the police would probably eat him up whole if they found out he did a hit-and-run, so him bringing me to a hospital is the best course of action for him.'_

_'So I guess I can't really blame him huh?'_

_"Argh!! This is **bullshit!** "_

After his rather bold but definitely wise words, Shinichi sunk deeper into his bed and proceeded to plaster his face with a childish frown. His brain inwardly thought that no one in their right mind would voluntarily want to be in the position he's in right now. Unless, _they're really, really desperate._ And _really, really stupid,_ he added.

After a few moments of self-loathing, Shinichi began to think once more, albeit this time, about the things that are unknown to him, like what was he doing before he was hit, or where he lives...

Mulling over a bit, he decided to go with the latter.

_'Hm. Seeing as how Mr. Ikutsuki showed no hint of surprise and interest in seeing me within this particular city (or town), it's possible that he knows that my place of residence is within this city as well, and if I'm as famous as he says, my house is probably a place also known by many, hence, tracking it's location would probably be quite easy with help from the authorities. From there, it would be child's play once my parents get to know my situation!'_

_' **Finally,** some silver lining in this god-awful storm!'_

After he's done with his own little inferring and deducing segment, Ikutsuki walked back to his room with a rather gorgeous lady in tow, wearing the classic white coat and stethoscope combo. She immediately sat to where the chairman originally sat and asked away.

 _"Mr. Ikutsuki has told me that you're suffering from memory loss. Please elaborate."_ The doctor said in the most fake-ass tone Shinichi has ever heard in his entire amnesiac history. Granted, he's not really in his tip-top detective shape, but it won't take a rocket scientist to know that she finds a patient suffering from memory loss less worthy than her quality, beauty time.

Shinichi bit back a grunt of annoyance and politely replied, _"It's true. I can't remember a thing about who I am. Not even my name, not until Mr. Ikutsuki told me."_ At this Shinichi narrowed his eyes at the older man, who visibly flinched from the stare.

Sensing the hostility, the doctor cleared her throat and spoke again, _"Hmm. Well, it seems to me that you're..."_

\-------------------------------

_**April 1, 2009, Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, 11:19 PM** _

_**"General dissociative amnesia,** huh? I am really sorry, Mr. Kudo. It seems the damage I dealt upon you is much, much severe than I had thought."_

It's now nighttime, from what he can tell from the sight of Ikutsuki looking back and forth from him, to his wristwatch. It's been approximately six hours since the doctor's visit, and he had his dinner brought to him around four hours ago. The chairman went away a couple of times, mostly from phone calls and calls of nature, plus the occasional food trips, _(Shinichi particularly enjoyed the Octopia takoyaki the chairman brought, while the older man despised it because of the spicy one that he gobbled up)_ but most of the time, the man stays on his chair and observed him with a guilty look on his eyes.

 _It annoys him,_ to be honest.

He doesn't want to be pitied upon. He feels downcast now, sure, but he knows deep down that he'll get by. When, or how, he's not certain, but he knows that he'll survive and recover from this. And if he's confident about that, then there's no need for other people to give him the special treatment and pitiful looks of sympathy.

Adjusting his position so that he faced the bespectacled man, he asked the one thing that came to mind, _"Where are my parents? You haven't informed them yet?"_

At the mention of his biological guardians, Ikutsuki adopted another look of guilt, but this time, it's much more heavy and sullen. It took a few moments of silence between them before Shinichi understood the message.

 _"Huh... So they're dead.."_ Shinichi repressed a sigh from escaping his lips, of course, it's not going to be easy for him, after all, having parents to support him in his amnesiac state would benefit him greatly, and that's exactly why he can't have them by his side.

_It was like fate is playing a game with him that he's bound to lose._

_That does not mean he'll stop trying to win, though._

_"Yes. It was in the news around ten years ago. **Mister Yusaku and Madam Yukiko** were casualties at a huge explosion at a bridge in the city. Reports say that you're in the car with them as well, but by heavens, you managed to survive. Ever since, you've been living at the Kudo Estate by your lonesome, not long after, you were dubbed the **"Detective Prince of Iwatodai"** because of your exemplary genius."_

_"Hm. So I really am famous, and not only that, it seemed that my parents are quite famous, too, if you still remember their names and their death so well."_ Shinichi replied with as much indifference as he can manage, he doesn't want to show weakness any more than he already had.

 _"Yes. I suppose you could say that."_ Ikutsuki replied while adjusting his glasses. Shinichi still couldn't quite grasp the underlying guilt in his tone when he spoke of his deceased parents, but the detective just chalked it up as an instinctive reaction after hitting him with his car.

The next few moments were then spent in idle silence between them, and Shinichi, in an effort to relieve himself from the awkward tension, spoke,

_"...So, tell me about yourself."_

Shinichi genuinely enjoyed the look of surprise on the man's face, but as if the chairman has a nigh-immunity to shocking events, within seconds, his expression shifted and he just chuckled and went talking,

 _"Well... It's the least I could do for wiping your brain clean, might as well start filling it with things about me, then."_ The detective mentally noted that the man in front of him has a rather dark sense of humor, then he went back to listening.

_"As I've told you already, I work as Board Chairman of Gekkoukan Academy, a well-known school in Iwatodai. It's funded solely by the **Kirijo Group,** hence my chairmanship."_ The man crossed his legs and arms while talking, and Shinichi deduced that it's a mannerism he displays when showing pride and boasting his credentials.

 _"So, you're a representative from this Kirijo Group? A high-ranking one, I assume?"_ Shinichi inquired in a kindly manner, but he's more interested in this 'Kirijo Group'. They sound quite influential from what he can gather.

_"Yes. I'm a senior scientist from their research department. However, now that I think about it, the President is also a friend of mine, so that's probably why I'm the School Chair, to be honest."_ Ikutsuki, as usual, ended his speechlet with a chuckle. But his diverting of the conversation from the Kirijo Group to his personal life did not go unnoticed by the sleuth.

He decided to play along for now, _"Friends with the president, huh? **Sounds like someone's** ingraitiating himself to the rich and fabulous."_ Shinichi chided in jest and Ikutsuki took it in the same manner.

_"Of course not! I am a legitimate worker who upholds integrity and prides in his own abilities! It's... just lucky coincidence that I'm acquainted with Mr. Kirijo **AND** that my annual salary is playing around several million yen."_

_"Yeah, right--"_ Shinichi was about to retort something to the chairman when he felt something weird envelop his entire body. He looked around and noticed that the chairman stopped laughing in an awkward facial expression, and from the looks of it, he doesn't seem to be breathing as well. Shinichi was about to sit up and approach him when it happened.

_I am thou... Thou art I..._

_Thou hast forged a new alliance..._

_Let thine wings of justice and gauntlet of freedom guide thee to the ultimate truth..._

_With the birth of the **Tower Arcana,** thou shalt obtain our blessings._

After the spiel of the voice that sounded almost like himself, but much more stern and uptight, what seemed to be a card floated atop him, dangling mid-air, and like moth to flame, against all instincts of self-preservation, he felt the inexplicable need to touch it. But before doing so, he observed that the card has an illustration of what appears to be a building, torn in half after being struck by a lightning, and people of varying types falling and fleeing from it. Below the image is the _Roman Numeral XVI._

Upon regaining his composure and breaking free from his gaping stupor, he reached out his left hand to the hovering card, and he let out an undignified yelp of surprise when it seemed to melt in his hands and surged through his arm.

_"Grrah!"_

Shinichi wiggled his left arm profusely, as if a tarantula is firmly crawling through it. At this moment, time seemed to resume its machinations, and you can only imagine Ikutsuki's surprise when he saw the detective in front of him flailing his arm like crazy.

Not to mention, the horrified expression on Shinichi's face didn't help he's case either.

 _"Is... **something the matter,** Mr. Kudo?"_ The chairman asked, not even bothering to coat the incredulous tone with a relative one.

 _"Wha-- didn't you-- Did you not see that?! There's a floating card here! **Tarot card,** I think, then it... just... disappeared...."_ Shinichi gradually slowed his roll when he saw the look the man is giving him.

_'Great, now he thinks I'm crazy, too.'_

Meanwhile, the bespectacled man is processing what the teen had meant with his sudden outburst. True, it may be just his tired and stressed mind playing tricks on him, or the few screws left on his brain finally going loose due to the pressure of being an orphan master detective. But Ikutsuki focused on the most important thing; Shinichi apparently saw a Tarot Card. _An Arcana. A Classification. Could it be...._

_'Could it be related to them?'_

Ikutsuki rubbed his chin in thought, not caring about the look the teen is giving him. After a while, he looked at his wristwatch and found out that the time is 11:37 PM.

_'Great. **Just perfect.** '_

With a smile that even Shinichi couldn't quite understand, Ikutsuki stood up and suddenly bid his farewell to the detective.

_"My, look at the time. I must really get going, Mr. Kudo. Do not worry, I shall return tomorrow to check up on you, rest assured."_

He momentarily paused and dusted his suit, then resumed talking, all the while with an overly familiar smile directed towards the teen that sent weird shivers down his spine.

_"Remember to sleep well and early, Detective Prince! The early bird catches the bookworm, after all!"_

\----------------------------

**END OF CHAPTER 2**

**Shinichi Kudo's Stats:**  
**Knowledge:** _Scholarly(4/6)_  
**Courage:** _Bold(3/6)_  
**Charm:** _Charismatic(4/6)_  
**Diligence:** _Persistent(2/6)_  
**Understanding:** _Empathetic(3/6)_  
**Expression:** _Eloquent(3/6)_

**Confidants:**  
**The Tower (Rank 1)** _(Shuji Ikutsuki)_

**Skills Learned:**  
_None_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeaaa, no. I do not regret this chapter at all, folks! Shuji Ikutsuki is my favorite character in Persona 3 alongside Igor and Tanaka, so expect more 
> 
> interactions like these in the future with these three peeps (though, no promises that it'll be this lighthearted anymore as we progress the story).
> 
> Also, as you are now aware, I decided to use the term "Confidant" than "Social Link" because I think Shinichi will view them more so of an intimate/personal 
> 
> manner, and not just a means to an end of gaining powerful Personas (not that Minato/Makoto and Yu didn't view their S.L as real close peeps, just saying).
> 
> Also, this fanfic will make drastic changes in which people Shinichi will make Social Links with. I think that it's feasible because Minato/Makoto is very 
> 
> different from Shinichi, personality-wise, and as a result, the people they tend to interact and build connections with are quite different as well. I will 
> 
> also be incorporating P5's Skill Learning from the Confidants so beware of that.
> 
> Also, I said before that this fic will change P4's storyline as well, right? Well... About that... It's NOT just going to be P4 anymore, I can't specify 
> 
> which series and which parts will change exactly, but as we go on with the story, you're sure to know, so.. beware of that as well.
> 
> And lastly, I know what you're all thinking. About certain characters like Ikutsuki, Shinji, and Takeharu. But I'm afraid those questions will have to wait 
> 
> for quite a while. Another time, perhaps.
> 
> Until then, farewell.


	4. CHAPTER 3 - Tatsumi Port Island; A Guide for Amnesiac Detectives

**\----------------------**

_**April 2, 2009 Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, 00:00** _

**\----------------------**

The hospital's corridors are eerily silent, the patient's wards and doctor's offices moreso. Of course, exemptions are present, for instance, a handful of doctors are busily working at the operating table of a patient that was in need of immediate cardiac surgery _(they've all stopped working on it at this particular hour, though)._

As well as the hospital's command room, where Shuji Ikutsuki and a certain physician of a certain amnesiac teenager are eagerly observing their latest subject, sleeping soundly after a long talk at the wee hours of the night.

The only sound that can be heard from the room is the huge monitor and other scientific gizmos depicting Shinichi's steady heartbeats and occasional snoring, both of which are, for them, a sign of success.

 _"Hmm. He must have been **really** tired. Not even half an hour had passed since our encounter and he's already down and out."_ The bespectacled scientist spoke, earning himself a scoff from his lady companion.

 _"I imagine he would be. I would too, if every encounter I have meant me being bulldozed by a Mercedes."_ The woman gave the scientist a dirty look, and with little unease, the man just laughed it off.

 _"Assuming that you would survive being hit by a Mercedes."_ Ikutsuki said mid-chuckle, his eyeglasses glinting in the green hue of the room. The doctor huffed and crossed her arms, and then replied,

 _"Not if you were the driver, no."_ The two stopped their motions and looked into each other's eyes, seemingly building the tension of the room to high levels. Eventually, however, Ikutsuki gave and just sighed and shook his head.

 _"Come now, Takemi. I may be what you call a mad genius, but if you're saying that I intentionally hit the boy with my car, then I believe you're **sorely** mistaken." _Ikutsuki closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in carefree motion, turning his back on the younger doctor.

 _"But still... what a delightful surprise, to think that the famed Detective Prince has the **potential.** This is indeed a heart-stopping development, no?"_ He purposely laced his words with excessive emotions of glee, and combined with his deranged smile that only Takemi and a very few individuals are truly aware of, it's enough to make her feel uneasy in her boots.

 _"Sure, let's just pretend that your supposed-roadkill became your unexpected jackpot. Truly brilliant, Professor Ikutsuki."_ Takemi matched the chairman's exaggeration with underappreciation in her tone, and Ikutsuki frowned in response.

 _"...Still, at the end of it all, his death will still be by your hands, huh? What a cruel joke, the man who took away his memories and almost killed him once will kill him too, in the end."_ Takemi bit her lip and instantly regretted her words, but kept her pokerface on. She knew the chairman is a certified and proud lunatic, but she also knew he valued allies like her, he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Or, at least, not when she expects it.

Ikutsuki, visibly stiffened upon hearing the doctor's sentiments, soon shook with crazed mirth, and after a few moments, he abruptly stopped and turned away from the monitor to face her. The deranged smile present on his countenance.

_"Hit the nail right in the **coffin** there, Takemi! I had always assumed that life is a serious state of affairs, you know? But alas, it seems I was wrong..."_

_"After all, this right here, is **the perfect punchline of a lifetime!"**_

**\----------------------**

_**April 2, 2009, Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, 10:47 AM** _

**\----------------------**

_"Hm! Wis is weally gud!"_ The man spoke inaudibly, not caring that his turtleneck is now slightly stained by soup, as a result of the curry in his mouth. The teen on the hospital bed just nodded in acquiescence while eating his own meal, albeit in a faster pace than the older man.

 _"... **Hoo boy,** that's a tad too spicy though, isn't it? I might get in trouble if Dr. Takemi found out I gave you some, but then again, she's the one who gave me the curry, so I suppose not."_ Ikutsuki said after chugging down his water, and wiping away the beading sweat on his forehead.

 _"...I'm surprised you came back this early, I mean, don't you have work to do?"_ Shinichi's memories of this man frantically trying to escape his responsibilities and just dumping him his calling card first things first comes to mind. So, it stands to perfect reason for him to question why the chairman suddenly had a change of heart and decided to be some sort of unofficial guardian for him.

 _"So it is, Mr. Kudo. However, fortunately for the both of us, the Board of Directors and Principal Renya had been more than understanding about the situation. I already informed Mr. Kirijo as well, so there's no need for us to get so worked up."_ Ikutsuki replied in a manner that is more informative than expressive, and then proceeded to gobble up the last remains of curry on his plate. Shinichi did the same, and after a while, both parties finished their meal and uttered a synchronized, _"Thank you for the meal."_

 _"...Yeah, I gotta admit, that curry is killer. Dr. Takemi is pretty lucky to be living near a cafe that serves those."_ Shinichi went on to stretch his arms upward and yawned loudly, and then proceeded to slump back to his bed, left arm behind his head and the right, picking grapes from the basket beside him.

Ikutsuki, after a few moments, ducked sidewards to reach his briefcase, and then proceeded to pull out two things from it; a travel brochure, and a map. Shinichi eyed the two things momentarily, and realized its purpose within seconds. So as not to be rude, though, he let the chairman explain.

 _"...Dr. Takemi and I had a talk about your...condition. And she said that if you are to start recovering your lost memories, we need to jog back some of those ourselves. And I thought that the best way to do that..."_ He stopped and pointed dramatically towards the map and brochure, pushing his glasses upwards with his middle finger.

_"...Is to familiarizing yourself with the crime scene!"_

...

...

...Without eliciting so much a response from the detective other than a _'Dafuq u talkin' bout?'_ look on his face, Ikutsuki cleared his throat and chuckled sheepishly before speaking once more.

 _"What I meant to say is... well, familiarizing yourself with the city that you reside at, since then, and currently."_ Shinichi, after a few more moments of giving the older man the stink eye, nodded and took a closer look on the map. Ikutsuki took this as his cue and clapped his hands twice.

 _"...Alright, Mr. Kudo. Professor Ikutsuki is going to give you a historical lecture on the artificial island that we all know and love, Tatsumi Port Island!"_ At the chairman's statement, Shinichi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

 _"Wait, artificial island? You mean, this island is manmade, then?"_ Shinichi crossed his arms and straightened his posture, showing intent on learning new knowledge.

 _"Exactly. Tatsumi Port Island was an ordinary island that was soon industrialized and given vibrance, thanks to the might of the Kirijo Group. They were responsible for making this island their base of operations for their businesses and scientific exploits, and so, in relative effect, the island soon flourished and gained popularity. And as the years went by, it became what it is today, a manmade, industrialized island, thriving with its stellar economy and lively tourism. Not to mention, the famous Gekkoukan Academy is also in this island."_ Ikutsuki stated, with an obvious amount of clout and pride in his tone. Shinichi, on the other hand, remained silent and nodded along,

_'It seems this Kirijo Group is more powerful than my initial assumption. Not many can revitalize a barren island and turn it into a full-blown city, conglomerate or not.'_

Ikutsuki continued, _"...On that note, Tatsumi Port Island's main course, so to speak, is Iwatodai. It's where the life of this island is located; shopping districts, strip malls, huge theaters, shrines and a prestigious academy to boot. Really, it should come as no surprise that, although it's located on an island, Iwatodai is a magnet in many fields of economics, tourism, and industry. Not to mention, cultural heritages..."_

 _"You do realize that half of the things you said are also found in many other places, right?"_ Shinichi stopped the man from his _'historical lessons',_ and continued. _"Maybe it behooves us both for you to skip the background of the island and just discuss the whereabouts of the important locations in the city. Starting from my place of residence, if you would. The history can wait, they are after all, timeless."_ Shinichi ended his statement with a genial smile and a polite tone, due to the fact that being _rude or aggressive_ toward Ikutsuki is funnily enough, _something his instinctive nature is advising him against._

**\----------------------**

_**April 2, 2009, Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, 9:21 AM** _

**\----------------------**

After one _pun-filled_ and _head-spinning_ lesson altogether, Shinichi somehow endured the ordeal with his sanity intact, and alongside it is his newly acquired knowledge of Tatsumi Port Island.

He discovered that his parents had left him quite a hefty fortune, and a large mansion to boot, located in Iwatodai, just besides a dorm called _"Iwatodai Dormitory"._ _(For some reason, Ikutsuki seemed to emphasize that little tidbit every so often on his previous discussion.)_

 _"...So, that's that. Did you commit all that to memory, detective?"_ The chairman inquired while adjusting his sitting posture. If he's somehow as fatigued as the teen through all this, he does a darn good job of hiding it.

 _"...Yes, I think."_ Shinichi replied with a slow nod. He realizes that amnesiac patients are having it tough, but man, experiencing amnesia rather than plainly knowing it is a _"mind-blowing"_ experience.

_**'Great,** now his god-awful puns are rubbing on me, too.'_

_"... That reminds me, I have a question for you, if you don't mind, that is."_

Shinichi broke free from his thoughts when the chairman spoke. He looked at him and felt uneasy when he saw the serious expression on his face. He has a sinking feeling that whatever this question is, it's not gonna be good. 

He repressed a gulp and replied, as warm and relaxed as possible _"...Sure, what is it about?"_

The chairman responded with a nod and a brief moment of silence, before finally speaking.

 _"About the **"Tarot card"** that you saw yesterday evening, can you tell me more about it?"_ His face is unreadable, even for the Detective Prince, but his tone betrayed the slightest hint of interest.

Shinichi remained undaunted and played along, _"I think it's a Tarot Card, because it has an illustration within it of what appears to be a tower that is on the verge of collapsing after being struck, below it is the Roman Numeral XVI."_

He hesitantly looked up to see the older man's reaction. And although he's a bit relieved that Ikutsuki _doesn't look_ as if he's questioning his mental health, the weird look that the chairman is giving him right now tells him that he's expecting the answer, and he's _**relieved**_ to hear it from his mouth.

_"... The Tower Arcana."_ Ikutsuki suddenly spoke, surprising the detective that was gazing intently at him. 

_"...Huh?"_ Shinichi deadpanned, but he might've had some ideas to what the older man is speaking of, so he let him go on. 

_"...It represents terrible catastrophe upon the immediate future. **Ruin and destruction,** more on on a figurative manner than literal, of course." _Ikutsuki rubbed his chin in thought, and Shinichi lowered his head in concentration, trying to remember the weird encounter with the card, yesterday. And, no sooner than a few moments, he recalled something else, 

_'That's right! The mysterious voice that sounds so similar to my own. It told me something about forming an alliance and uncovering the truth, right? Should I tell him that, too?'_

As the detective is busily recalling the events of yesterday eve, the man sitting across his bed is busily analyzing the situation as well. 

_'...How very strange. The Tower Arcana? Indeed, it represents upheaval and impending disaster, yes. But, it's not connected with... **the Fall,** is it? There are only 14 Shadows, after all, from the **Fool to the Appriser...** Anything from the **Temperance** onwards can't possibly have anything to do with **the End,** could it?'_

_"...Mr. Ikutsuki, is something the matter? You seem awfully thoughtful about this."_ Shinichi's voice suddenly rang in his ears, and he inwardly cursed himself for being an idiot so early in the game. 

__...The mystery of the Tower can wait, for now, he needs to get the detective's trust._ _

He has a feeling that he might be the most valuable asset he'll ever have within his little _"Extracurricular Squad",_ even more so than _Mitsuru_ will ever be. 

_...And who knows, maybe the detective is just like he is, and is actually desiring the end of the pathetic farce known as mankind. Surely the thought crossed his mind, after encountering worthless vermin and heinous criminals with no regards for their actions but for the distasteful selfishness of their vile selves, in comparison, his parents, adored and loved by many, perished so quickly and unreasonably, while the wretched criminals he encounters get to enjoy their miserable life behind bars, ironically protected by none other than **"Justice"** itself._

__...He had decided, the detective is far too valuable to let go as an ally, and thus, the best way for him to earn the teenager's trust is by telling him the truth right away._ _

_"...Mr. Kudo, would you believe me, if I told you that a day consist of more than 24 hours?"_

**\----------------------------**

**END OF CHAPTER 3**

**Shinichi Kudo's Stats:**  
**Knowledge:** _Scholarly(4/6)_  
**Courage:** _Bold(3/6)_  
**Charm:** _Charismatic(4/6)_  
**Diligence:** _Persistent(2/6)_  
**Understanding:** _Empathetic(3/6)_  
**Expression:** _Eloquent(3/6)_

__Confidants:  
**The Tower (Rank 1)** _(Shuji Ikutsuki)_ _ _

__

**Skills Learned:**  
_None_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Another chapter, done.
> 
> Yeah, I know, another Ikutsuki-centric chapter, but hey! I warned you guys, interactions like these are bound to happen in the future, this is basically my bias and favoritism speaking, but, you know what I mean.
> 
> And I understand that it may seem slow-paced so far, but that's because we're doing a "world-buiding" and "character defining" at the same time, all while trying to progress the plot, so... I'm sorry, but it's just the way it is if I intend to keep up with my linear storytelling, otherwise it will all go out of whack real quick.
> 
> AND YEP, 14 Shadows. You read that right. Because I looked back at the start of the series, and I realized we never did get to fight the "Magician Shadow" (if you recall, we fought the Fool at the Dorm rooftop, and then the Priestess at the monorail). And then I realized that Akihiko and Mitsuru were fighting a Shadow as well during our battle with the Fool. And it lead me to believe that that Shadow is the Magician.
> 
> Also, yeah. Takemi. Huehuehue ;}
> 
> Next chapter will most probably be our dear detective's awakening, and I will try making it a long chapter (4-5k words).
> 
> Until then, farewell.


End file.
